Pill-counting machine.



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AIILI III ' PILL GOUMING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED APB. 30,4903. -A

N0 MODEL.

1. II-IIIIE-E:

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM isi-rouen, or 'entra/tne, MARYLAND:

Patented october e, 1903. y

i PATENT Grutas.

vPILL-cou NTING Mael-HNE.

srnorrrca'rlon'femalg pai-t of Letters Patent No. 740,801, aandoet-.ober c, 1903.

Application filed April 30, 1903*. '.Serial No. 154,929. l(No modell) .To all whom it may oon/cern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BROUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Pill-Counting Machines, of which the following is a specification. Y

My improved machine is adapted to 4count automatically pills or other similar'articles rapidly and accurately without injuring the same or allowing adhesion of one to the other.

A distinguishing feature of the machine is an endless traveling belt having groups of pockets for receiving the pills or other articles to be counted, the saidpockets being so arranged as to facilitate discharge of the pills at the proper time in the travel ofthe belt.

Another feature is the provision of a roller in connection with the traveling belt and the discharge end of the spout or tube by which the pills are fed to the belt, whereby the pills are prevented from accumulating-in rear of the spout. v Another feature is the provision of a twopart or divided pulley or wheel over which the belt runs and between whose members the pill-spout is arranged and discharges.

Another feature is the arrangement of a rotary brush in connection with the aforesaid belt-pulley for removing any pills that may not be properly pocketed. The brush is operated automatically by running in contact with the aforesaid two-part pulley.

The invention further includes other novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as willv behereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, two sheets, Figure l is a side view of the machine. Fig.

2 is mainly a plan view ofthe same, the hop-1 per being omitted. Fig. 3 is a side view of the worm-gear for driving the endless belt. Fig. It is a longitudinal section of a portion of the machine. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the machine. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the attachments of the pillfeeding spout or tube, the roller 23 being-cut through at one end at the point of conjunction with the bracket 25. Fig. k7' is a perspective sectional view of a portion of the traveling belt. Fig. 8 is a detail section.

The workingv parts of the machine are arranged in a light but strong rectangular frame l. The pills or other articles to be counted'are placed in a hopper 2, which is provided with a discharge-nozzle 3, by which the pills are conducted into the vertical tube or spout 4. As shown in Fig. et, this spout extends down to the endless traveling belt 5, 'its lower-or discharge end being arranged in front of thecentral axis of the pulley or wheel 6, whereby the pills or other articles are discharged upon a downwardly-inclin'ed portion of the belt, which arrangement facilitates entrance of the pills into the pockets formed in the belt, whose travel is in the direction indicated by the arrows. The belt runs on a series of pulleys, as indicated. The drivingpulley 7 is mounted on a suitable axle in ther 'front upper portion ofthe frame l, and the corresponding pulley 8 is mounted upon an axle 9 in the upper right-hand corner of the frame. The upper bight of the belt 5 runs on the vtwo-part pulley or wheel 6, which thus virtuallyconstitutes an idler, and the outer bight of the belt runs on pulleys 10 and 11, which are suitably journaled in the lower portion of the frame and serve to hold the outer bight out of contact with the idler 6. The tension of the belt 5 may be regulated by adjusting the axle 9 of the upper pulley S higher or y lower inthe frame, whose rear bars are pro- Ivided with a vertical slot 12 to permit such adjustment. A nut is applied to the axle 9 for clamping it in any required adjustment. The pulley, 7 is provided. with a worm-wheel 13,-(see Figs.'l and 3,) which engages a horizontal worm-shaft l5, having. a drivin g-pulley 16, on which runs a power-belt 17.

The two-part pulley or wheel 6 is keyed upon Va transverse shaft or aXle 18, which hasl its bearings ina transverse bar of the frame v1. The wheel is composed, in fact, of two large disks which are rabbeted on their inner edges, as shown at 19, Fig, 2. They are separated by a considerable space, which is practically the width of the belt -that is to say, the belt runs on the inner rabbeted or reduced portions of the wheel-6, whos-e lianges groups are arranged in squares of rows counting ten each way, the groups being separated by imperforate spaces 0r portions of the belt. As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the perforations 2O extend completely through the belt, and a strip of linen or other light fabric 2l is cemented or otherwise suitably secured to the under side of the belt. Thus the perforations form, in fact, so many pockets for pills or other articles to be counted. As indicated in Figs. 4 and 7, the perforations are all inclined to the axis of the belt, the inclination being forward, so that when the belt passes over the driving-pulley 7 the pills will be more easily discharged or freed from the pockets than would be practicable if the perforations were directly at right angles to the belt. As indicated in Fig. l, the discharge of the pills is into a funnel 22, which in turn delivers them into a bottle or other receptacle that may be provided. It will be seen that since the perforations are arranged in grbups of one hundred that number of pills wi-ll be discharged together. In other words, there will be an intermittentdelivery ot' one hundred pills.

As shown in Fig. 4, the bottom of the discharge-spout or pill-conductor 4 approaches as near the belt 5 as the size of the pills will permit, and a roller 23 is attached and works in contact with the belt, so that the forward movement of the upper bight of the belt effects rotation of the said roller in the reverse direction, as indicated by the arrow. The roller is provided with circumferential grooves 24 near. its ends, (see Fig. 6,) and these grooves receive the ngers or claws of holders 25, which are in turn secured to a metal plate 26, the latter being secured by bolts 27 to the spout 4. As shown in Fig. 4, the bolts pass through cross-bars 2S on the opposite side of the spout 4, and by these means clamps are formed which permit the roller to be adjusted higher 0r lower relative to the lower end of the said spout. Thus provision is made for adjusting the lower end of the spout at a greater or less distance from the belt, as may be required by diiierence of size of the pills or other articles. The spout 4 is made adjustable vertically, it being slidable in a keepery or sleeve 4, which is provided with a tenon adapted to enterasocket 4b, which is supported upon the wheelshaft 18. Clamp-screws 4C are provided for secur` ing the parts in any required adjustment. In case any pills fail to become pocketed and pass in rear of the spout 4 the roller 23 will carry or roll them along on the belt by reason of the upward movement of the front side of the roller, so that they do not escape past the latter.

In front of the two-part pulley or wheel 6 is varranged a rotary brush 29, whose end disks or heads run in contact with the inner shoulders or rabbeted portions of the pulley-disks l 6. In other words, the brush is made of such length that its heads t between the outer flanges or rims of the pulley-disks 6. It will thus be seen that the brush will be rotated in the opposite direction to the wheel, as indicated by arrows in Figs. 1 and 4. The brush is supported in su'ch position by means of arms orbars 30, which are in turn journaled on the same cross-bars of the frame that support the pulleys 6. As indicated in Fig. 8, the said arms 30 are pivoted by means of screws 3l, which have polygonal heads and a rounded or cylindrical portion 3l, upon which the arms 30 are journaled. The said screws enter blocks 32, arranged on the inner sides of the frame-bars 1, and thus hold said blocks firmly in place. To theinner sides of the block are attached narrow elongated strips 33, of wood or metal, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which extend down between the wheels 6. These strips serve as side guides for the belt and form, in effect, a trough at that point, whereby the pills which may be removed from the belt by means of the brush 29 are prevented from falling oft laterally and are carried downward on the belt toward the next or approaching group of pockets 20. In order to hold the heads of the brush 29 in duly firm contact with the pulley 6, spiral or coil springs 34 are attached to the brush-arms 30 and the frame l, as shown in Fig. 1. y

By the described construction, arrangement, and combination of parts I form a simple, easily-operated, and accurate machine for the purpose indicated.

l. The combination,with a frame, of an endless belt having pockets, end pulleys upon which the belt travels, an intermediate wheel on which the belt runs, and a pill-conducting spout or tube arranged to discharge upon the inner upper bight of the belt, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a suitable frame, of an endless belt having pockets for the articles to be counted, the end pulleys, and intermediate pulleys upon which the belt travels, one of the intermediate pulleys being made in two separated parts, and a pill-conducting spout or tube arranged between said parts for discharging pills upon the belt, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with a suitable trame, of an endless belt having pockets to receive the pills to be counted, and pulleys upon which the same is mounted and adapted to run, and the pillconducting spout arranged as shown with its discharge end at a point where the upper bight of the belt is inclined downward, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a suitable frame, of an endless traveling belt provided with pockets, end pulleys on which the belt runs, and an intermediate pulley made of two separated parts and placed at a lower point than said end pulleys, and apill-conducting spout arranged between the two disks or side portions of the intermediate pulley and with its lIO discharge end located at a point in front of the lowest portion ot said pulley, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with a suitable frame, and the endless traveling belt having pockets as described, end pulleys on which the belt runs, an intermediate pulley or idler, of a pill-conducting spout having a roller attached to its lower end which runs in contact with the belt,substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination, with end pulleys and a two-part pulley, of an endless belt traveling on the end pulleys and intermediately over the two-part pulley, and a pill-conducting spout arranged for delivering pills upon the belt, and means for supporting and adjusting the spout, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a suitable frame, and pulleys mounted therein, of the endless traveling belt, having pockets as described, and arranged on said pulleys, of an intermediate pulley or idler formed" of two disks, a vertical pill-conducting spout arranged for discharging pills upon the upper bight of the to the latter, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination, with a suitable frame and pulleys arranged therein, of an endless traveling belt provided with pockets, an idlerpulley arranged between the end pulleys and formed of two separated disks, a pill-conducting spout, a roller arranged in rear of the discharge end of the spouty and working in contact with the upper bight of the belt, and a clamp by which said roller is adj ustably attached to the spout-,substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination, with a suitable frame and pulleys arranged therein, of an endless traveling belt having pockets as described, and running on said pulleys, ofhan intermediate pulley or idler-with which the upper bight of the belt runs in contact, a vertical pill-conducting spout lwhich is vertically adjustable, and a roller secured to the lower end of the spout and working in frictional contact with the upper bight of the belt, substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination, with a suitable frame, and pulleys mounted therein, of an endless 'traveling belt having pockets as d,escribed belt, and a roller arranged in rear of said` spout, and means for securiugit adj u'stablyk contact with the upper bight of `the belt,.aud located in front of the said spout, substantially as shown and described.

12. The combination, with a suitable fram e, of an endless traveling belt provided with pockets, pulleys on which said belt runs, and an intermediate pulley or idler arranged between the end pulleys, and a rotary brush arranged to work in contact with the upper bight of the belt and with the aforesaid idler, substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination, with asuitable frame, and pulleys mounted therein, of an endless traveling belt provided with pockets, a large pulley or idler formed in two parts and arranged intermediate of the end pulleys, a pill-conducting spout arranged between the two parts of the idler, so as to discharge pills upon the upper bight ofthe belt, a rotary brush arranged infront of the spout and work ing in frictional contact with boththe bel and idler, pivoted supports for said brush and springs for holding the brush in Jdrm con tact with the idler, substantially as shown and described.

14. The combination,with a suitable frame, and end pulleys therein, of an endless traveling belt having pockets as described, a large two-part pulley arranged between the end pulleys and having its disks rabbetedas shown, a rotary brush having circular heads arranged between the flanges of the two disks and working in contact with the inner peripheries or shoulders'of the disks, its brush portion working in contact with the adjacent portion of the belt, and means for holding the brush in due position, substantially as shown and described. y

15. The combination, with a suitable frame and pulleys mounted therein, of an endless belt traveling on said pulleys provided with pockets, a rotary brush arranged to work on the upper bight of the belt, and side guides arranged at that point adjacent to the side edges of the belt, as and for the purpose specifled.

16. In a machine for counting pills or similar articles, a belt provided with pockets formed by perforations which are inclined forward, pulleys onwhich said belt runs, and a spout for discharging pills on the upper bight of the belt, as and for the purpose specified.

17. The combinatiomwith'a suitable frame, and pulleys mounted therein, of an endless traveling belt having perforations which are inclined as described, for the purpose of facilitating discharge of the articles to be counted and a pill-discharger arranged above the belt, substantially as shown and described.

18. In a pill-counting machine, the combination with pulleys and a pill-discharge spout, of an endless traveling belt composed of a thick portion having transverse perforations and a thin underlying portion forming the bottom of the perforations, whereby the latter constitute pockets for reception of the ICO IIO

pills or other articles to be counted, substantially as shown and described.

19. The combination', with a suitable frame provided with vertical slots in its front upper 5 corner, of a belt-pulley located at that point and having an axle or shaft which passes through the said slots and is vertically adjustable therein, means for clamping the shaft in any adjustment, an endless traveling belt 1o and other pulleys upon which the same is adapted to run, the said belt being provided with pockets for reception of pills or other arj ticles to be counted, and a pill-conducting spout arranged to discharge upon the upper bight of the belt, substantially as shown and i5 described. i

WILLIAM BROUGH.V Witnesses:

AUG.v W. BRADFORD, v THos. KELL BRADFORD. 

